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Issue 2 2008
How Much Regent Can Be Saved? Premier Anna Bligh has weighed in to the Save The Regent controversy insisting that any redevelopment of the building must include the cinemas if the heritage value of the site is to have any meaning. Her proposal is to use a provision in the Integrated Planning Act, never before invoked, to stop plans for an office tower on the Queen Street site. Developers want to close the 80-year-old cinema but the Regent's heritage-listed facade, foyer and marble staircase would remain. “ Part of its charm and part of what the Regent is, is that it is a working theatre and unless you have got people going in and buying tickets and getting popcorn it really will lose something of its significance.” The theatre was saved in the 1970s by a compromise which kept the foyer and allowed a new four-cinema complex (the existing cinemas). The Industry Superannuation Property Trust has proposed an $800 million redevelopment of three adjoining properties. While the development may still proceed, much of it will have to be re-written if the Premier has her way. The bittersweet truth is that the ‘real' Regent Brisbane , a true rival to Melbourne 's Regent , was lost in the carve-up 30 years ago. Mt Tambourine Closes Taken over by the council, the theatre has failed to pass safety requirements. Whether the cost of the upgrade is to go into next year's budget estimates remains to be seen. Luxury At Loganholme Loganholme Cinemas closed one regular cinema to covert it to a Star Cinema (their version of Gold Class). This means they now have ten regular screens and two Star Cinemas. New Screen At Rosalie The Blue Room Boutique Cinemas at Rosalie are adding a third screen to seat 60. New Six-Plex Palace Cinemas will open their new complex in September, while retaining their four-plex in James Street . NEW SOUTH WALES New Reading Cinemas A nine-screen Reading complex opened 9April in the Sydney suburb of Rouse Hill. The complex has the first 3D Dolby Digital system in Australia in one cinema. Another first for this part of Sydney is three Gold Lounge cinemas. Cinemeccanica projection will be installed in three separate bio boxes. A new cinema complex is planned for this north-west town. In what is now an almost standard approach to entertainment facilities, the plans include provision for live theatre and concerts in one of the auditoriums. Similar features were built into the Paramount at Echuca, in Colac and other regional towns. The Regent , demolished some 18 years ago, was fondly remembered in an historic event held in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville. John Atkinson purchased the Wurlitzer organ in the 1960s, fully restored the instrument and had it incorporated it into his specially built house. A large crowd was entertained in John's theatrette, where the organ is the prime attraction. The concert included a power point presentation about the former Regent . This home theatrette is also a fully equipped cinema. Regional Losses At Forbes the Parkview Cinema closed on 4 March 2008. The building is for sale. At Glen Innes, word on the grapevine is that the former Roxy is marked for demolition to make way for a McDonalds restaurant. The Roxy hasn't operated as a cinema for years. Unique Dive-in Theatre No, not a misprint, but a way to watch new release movies while sitting poolside at the Macquarie Waters Hotel and Apartments, Port Macquarie. The screen is on one wall of the indoor pool - not actually underwater - so diving in will break your concentration, but the gimmick is said to be a hit with the kids. VICTORIA Reprieve For La Mama At the eleventh hour shopkeepers and residents chipped in with donations to help the quirky playhouse La Mama in Faraday Street Carlton raise the deposit to buy the freehold. The theatre company, which for forty years has work-shopped plays and ideas, some of which became great theatre and films – Lantana, The Club , Dons Party - has a loyal following. When lawyers acting for the late owner gave the artistic director Liz Jones first rights to purchase, even the deposit was beyond the company's means, but publicity about the theatre's plight brought results. The theatre must deliver the deposit ($127,000) by May 28 and then has 120 days to pay the balance. From Cinemas to Lecture Theatres The former Lumiere Lonsdale Street – once the most adventurous of the city's art-house cinemas - opened on 3 April as lecture theatres for the Central Queensland University 's Melbourne campus. The three-screen cinema closed in 2005 and the university took over in 2006. A $1.4m. refurbishment has transformed the three auditoriums by way of light and bright colours, a far cry from the old days. Rado Crowd Move On Theatre groups left without a meeting place after closure of the the Erwin Rado Theatre (see page 8) didn't let moss grow under their feet. Thanks to the efforts of Ross Campbell, the Rado Room upstairs at Mama Vittoria restaurant, hosts the International Film Society, Australian Bing Crosby Society, Al Jolson Society and the Richard Wagner Society. St Kilda's Love-Hate Triangle Argument continues over what sort of development the St Kilda triangle needs to be to retain ‘St Kilda-ness'. Although its future seems assured, the Palais theatre is not without its critics. Journalist Julie Szego in The Age (10 May 2007) says it is no global landmark. ‘We love the old dame simply because she holds our memories'. The Linden Contemporary Art Gallery is earmarked for the Palais forecourt and will feature the word ‘St Kilda' in brickwork styled on the facade of Leo's spaghetti bar in Fitzroy Street . The boutique hotel earmarked for the rear wall of the Palais will carry a sculpture of a Sidney Nolan sketch of Luna Park in black rolled steel. A late and welcome idea is an open-air skating rink to be located on the Upper Esplanade, reviving memories of the St Moritz . TASMANIA Albert Hall Rocks After a nervous period in which its future seemed uncertain, Launceston's Albert Hall has been the venue for three big shows in a row. The lighting demands for modern concerts show-up deficiencies that need attention if the building is to have a secure future. For the Joe Cocker show, two arc plants were brought in to supply power. Upgrade at the Princess The installation of reverse cycle air-conditioning in the foyers and auditorium at Launceston's Princess has solved a problem that dogged the theatre for years. At the same time a new roof was put over the auditorium. Part two of the project will be undertaken next summer when air-conditioning will be installed backstage. SOUTH AUSTRALIA Glenelg For Sale Wallis Cinemas complex at Glenelg is on the market with an asking price of $7.5. The cinemas remain open. N0 Reprieve for Windsor One year ago the Windsor , which operates in the Magill Institute, was on the verge of closing. Residents rallied to save what one described as a “nice little theatre,” the council which owns the hall reduced the rent, and a month later patronage was up 40 percent. Alas, good intentions may give a fillip to attendances, but consistency for the long-haul is harder to achieve. The Windsor closed 28 May Bordertown Movies Additional projectionists are in training so that more films can be shown at the Bordertown Civic Centre . Four local movie enthusiasts have undertaken training sessions with the local projectionist to boost the skills pool. Tatiara District Council wants to increase the use of the Civic theatre and provide different entertainment options. Border Chronicle March 20 2008 WESTERN AUSTRALIA East Meets West CATHS' Queensland Convenor Steve Maggs teamed up with CinemaRecord's WA correspondent Peter Jackson for some theatre inspections and industry news. This included lunch at His Majestys Theatre Perth, followed by a tour of the building with a volunteer guide. At the Picadilly Cinemas , the only one left in the city centre – the chains have departed the inner city - they talked with owner Cyril Jackson, who came out of retirement to save the theatre. He was interested to learn of CATHS and has offered the use of his theatre for a function. Later, Steve inspected the art deco Cygnet in suburban Como , which celebrated its 70 th on 9 March. The Cygnet is the only single screen surviving in Perth , thanks to the efforts of South African immigrant Eddie Herbert who has run it for the past 25 years. Steve's guides on the tour of the Cygnet were George Robinson and Daryl Binning who run Classics of the Silver Screen on a monthly basis there to raise funds for a cinema museum (see next story). Australian Museum of Motion Picture Technology Retired electrician Daryl Binning is on a mission to document and preserve the evolution of Australia's moving image industry. Three years ago he set up a national volunteer group to establish a Museum of Motion Picture Technology . At the moment they have a range of equipment stored in member's homes around the country. AMMPT circulates a newsletter and as part of its national charter communicates regularly with CATHS Secretary Mike Trickett. Their goal seems complementary to both CATHS and ACTS, with an emphasis on collecting and promoting the history of the equipment that made possible motion pictures and television, with an emphasis ‘to recognize the many unheralded Aussie inventions and innovations that have changed the face of international motion picture and television industries'. According to the AMMPT brochure, the long-term goal is to ‘establish permanent displays in all regions to exhibit and demonstrate the evolving technologies and to tell the stories of the pioneers who shaped our social culture through moving images'. The website is www.ammpt.asn.au. NEW ZEALAND Box Office Not So Bad The New Zealand box office for 2007 was better than expected with a total take of $151m., up nearly $5m. from the previous year, despite the fact that audience numbers were down. Picture-goers still prefer to open their wallets or purses at the window - credit card transactions accounted for only $12m. of the total. Hoyts Leave Lower Hutt Hoyts 5 Cinemas shut its doors on 10 March after a rent increase by the buildings new owners. The closure of the 960-seat venue came 15 years to the month after it first opened. The property is now on the market after lease attempts failed. Dendy Wants Out Australian company Dendy has put its New Zealand exhibition interests up for sale. SkyCity Assets Written Down SkyCity Cinemas has had its assets written down from a book value of $108 Million to some $63 million. At this new figure SkyCity Entertainment hopes that its 94 screens in N. Z. and ten in Fiji will attract a buyer. Reading are in the final stages of negotiation with SkyCity Cinemas for a complete buyout. This purchase would put them in locations where they are not now represented. More Reading Plans Regent Centre Wellington has been sold and Reading have re-activated a plan to build a five-screen art-house at the back of the main Wellington Complex. In a surprise move and without giving reasons, Reading announced that they would no longer sell Jaffas in their theatres. Whither St James Auckland ? Developers working around the historic St James , closed since a fire last year, have proposed a compromise that would leave the protected section intact and restore the Queen Street tower enclosed in cladding since 1953. Part of the 1928 building and the existing three cinemas below would be demolished, although significant heritage items would be salvaged. Bridgeway For Sale On the market is 50 percent of Auckland 's Bridgeway and their silent shareholding in the Rialto Tauranga which will probably be bought by Rialto Entertainment. Rialto 3 Wellington Closed Final screenings were at the end of March. The building is to be replaced by apartments. Rialto had promised to relocate, but to date there is no indication of where or when. Geraldine For Sale CATHS'visitors from 2005 will be interested to learn that the South Island's Geraldine Cinema is for sale as a going concern. A New Metro Three-screen Metro Gold Class Cinemas opened 7 March in Worcester Street , Christchurch . The style is 1930s moderne, with a total seating capacity of 130. The theatre will screen art-house and independent films under the capable management of industry veteran Rodney Cook. Movement on Capitol After sitting untouched for some years, the old Capitol theatre, Miramar, bought by director Peter Jackson ( Lord of the Rings, King Kong) in 2003 for $1m., is to become either a movie museum and shops or a three-screen cinema. History of the Theatre Royal, Christchurch An illustrated history of a fine theatre is a welcome edition to the few other books on New Zealand theatres and when it comes presented on high quality art paper, with over 300 color and black and white photographs the authors clearly want to do the subject proud. Like a stage show itself the book is presented by more than a dozen ‘voices' each approaching the story from a different viewpoint or area of expertise. Published to mark the centennial of the third theatre of this name 1908 – 2008, the book captures the richness and variety of shows from 1908 to 2008. The Theatre Royal continues to present theatre in all its forms in the grand tradition. The book is available from Clerestory Press, PO Box 21 Christchurch RRP $NZ50 plus $NZ5 (postage). Reporting by: Qld. Steve Maggs N.S.W. Ian Hanson, Brian Hunt, Les Tod Vic. Cameron Hall, Ben Probin, Ian Williams, Peter Wolfenden Tas. Ray Peck S.A. Colin Flint W.A. Peter Jackson N.Z. David Lascelles
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